


tomorrow I'll be coming back to you

by HecticHemmings



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, based on close as strangers, michael calls luke lovebug cause im a sucker for that pet name damn, muke au, sad!Luke, solo artist michael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-25
Updated: 2016-05-25
Packaged: 2018-06-10 15:33:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6962701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HecticHemmings/pseuds/HecticHemmings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"lately I feel like were as close as strangers, you know? I don't feel like I really know who you are any more."</p><p>or, the au in which Michael is a solo artist who managed to push himself into fame while Luke is his boyfriend who got left behind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	tomorrow I'll be coming back to you

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't proofread bc i'm a lazy shit so excuse any mistakes! 
> 
> Kudos and comments are most appreciated!! x

It'd been six weeks since Michael left his little town in Sydney to peruse his music career and honestly he didn't think it would be so hard. He left on good terms; his family and friends and his boyfriend Luke seen him off at the airport and he was so fucking excited to be going to spend some time in LA to write some more songs and maybe even actually record some but tonight he wasn't so sure he'd made a good decision.

Like, of course he'd made a good decision. Getting the opportunity to actually get somewhere with his music was all he ever wanted in life but he just wished that he could have done that in the comfort of his own bedroom, surrounded by his loved ones. And Luke. Fuck, he missed Luke so much. He doesn't think he's ever been away from the blonde boy for this long. Ever since they started dating four years ago they'd been joined at the hip, never straying from each other for longer than a day or two. But now Michael had to figure out how to be away from him for a whole _six months._ This experience was most definitely going to put a strain on their relationship and Michael just hopes to fucking god that they're strong enough to pull through. 

Currently, it was something like two in the morning and Michael couldn't bring himself to close his eyes and sleep. It may have already been six weeks but Michael still hadn't managed to get used to the bed. It was too hard and the sheets were too soft and the pillow just didn't feel right under his head. His manager had rented out a house for him to stay in for the six months that he was staying in LA and god was it a big house. It was way too big for just Michael to be living in by himself and he had to admit he got a little freaked out of a night. He was never really one to be scared of the dark but he'd be lying if he said he  _didn't_ run to jump into bed after he shut the lights off. 

He thinks Luke would have liked the house. Some of the rooms had pretty light blue walls and not only did they remind Michael of Luke's eyes but it reminded him of the colour of Luke's bedroom walls, the same bedroom they fooled around in when they were sixteen and began to figure out how lovely it felt to kiss one another. The house had a pool, too, and Michael couldn't help but smile at the thought of them messing around in it and having water fights. 

Good god did he miss that boy. 

With a huff he unravelled his arms from his comforter and snatched his phone from its charger on the bedside table. He slid it open, clicking on Luke's contact and sighing. It was only around seven back in Sydney. Hopefully Luke wasn't too busy. He clicked on the call button before holding his phone to his ear and listening to the dial tones until Luke eventually picked up. 

"Mikey?" 

He smiled at his boyfriends voice, "Hey, lovebug." 

"What're you doing up?" The blonde asked, and Michael could sense Luke frowning. "Isn't it late over there?"

"S'not that late," He shrugged. "Only like, half two." 

"You should be asleep. You're too busy to be staying up this late." 

Michael couldn't stop the fond smile creep onto his lips. Luke was such a worrier, and it was one of the things Michael loved most about the boy. He would always easily step around his own problems but never someone else's. He always needed to make sure someone else was okay before he worried about himself. He figures that isn't a great trait for the boy to have but its okay because it lets Michael look after him more. He loves taking care of his lovebug.

"Cant stop thinking about home," Michael mumbled, yawning slightly. "Cant stop thinking about you." 

Luke didn't speak. There was a silence that settled between them, but for some reason it felt awkward. Their silences had never felt like this; so deafening and strange. They were always filled with gentle touches and lingering glances that meant more than any combination of words but this one felt heavy, and Michael was about to put a stop to it but Luke beat him to it. 

"Things are changing, Mikey." It came out in barely a whisper, but Michael heard it. 

"What do you mean?" He already knew what Luke meant, but he needed to hear it from the blonde. 

On the other end of the call, Luke sighed gently, "Its been six weeks, Michael. One whole month away from each other. We've had like, two phone calls in that time. This one included. You're so busy all the time and we hardly get to talk any more and fuck, I'm so scared, Mikey. You mean so much to me and I don't want to lose you." 

"You aren't going to lose me." Michael whispered his reply, not completely sure on what else to say to the boy. 

"Its just-lately I feel like were as close as strangers, you know? I don't feel like I really know who you are any more," Luke's voice broke towards the end of his sentence and Michael wanted nothing more than to hug him and never let him go but instead he was twelve thousand miles away from him and all he had was his pathetic words. "But anyway, you need to get to sleep, Michael. I might hear from you tomorrow?" 

"Yeah." Michael breathed out, and just like that Luke hung up before Michael even got to say a proper goodbye. 

Moments later, Michael had crawled out of bed with the comforter wrapped around his shoulders and his feet padded through the house until he found the lounge room. He sat on the couch with his songbook rested in his lap, pen in hand. His short conversation with Luke had him left with too many lyrics circling his brain for his hand to keep up with. By the time he was done the sun was casting golden glows through the curtains, and he knew he'd need a lot of coffee to get him through the day but it was so worth it. He was so happy with the song he'd scribbled down. Just before he closed the book he pondered over a title for the song briefly before finally settling on one. In the same messy handwriting, he scrawled it onto the top of the page.

_Close as Strangers._

_-_

"How would you feel if we looked into booking you some gigs?" 

Michael's throat went dry as his heart rate sped up. He stared at his manager in shock, mouth agape and unable to form words.  _Was he for real?_

"I'll take that as a no?" His manager said playfully, and it snapped Michael out of his daydream. 

"No!" He rushed out. "No, I mean, yes! Fuck. One hundred percent yes!"

Michael most definitely wanted to scream right now. This was something he had only ever dreamed of and it was coming true. This was something he and Luke talked about at three in the morning but laughed about later because  _that would never happen, right?_ No. It was happening right fucking now and Michael could hardly believe it as he followed his manager into his office. 

They talked for a good three hours about possible venues and how Michael would be better off starting in smaller ones to get a feel for it all and to see how many tickets he would actually sell to a gig. He'd listened in complete disbelief but with a strange tinge of excitement. Soon enough he'll be playing shows to people who are supporting him and his music. 

Who knew a weird guy from a little town in Sydney could actually make it. 

-

That night, Michael woke to the sound of his phone ringing from underneath his pillow. In his half asleep haze he dug around for it. Once he had his fingers secured around the rectangular object he brought it out from underneath the pillow and answered it, not bothering to check the caller ID. 

"Hello?" He rasped out, rubbing at his eyes. 

"M-Mikey?" 

His eyes snapped open, sitting up in his bed now wide and awake. 

"Luke?" He checked the time, it already being eight in the morning where he was meaning it was around one in the morning back in Sydney. "What are you doing awake? Its late over there." 

"Just missed your voice, is all." The blonde answered and damn it, he was crying. Michael's heart ached. 

"Fuck," He mumbled, rubbing at his face out of frustration. It'd been almost another week since he'd called Luke. The days go by so quickly he hadn't realized how long it had been since they talked last. "I'm so sorry, lovebug. I'm so sorry I didn't call sooner, more often." 

"S'alright." He blonde answered, and it only made Michael more frustrated.  

"Its not alright, Luke. I'm such a terrible fucking boyfriend. I haven't seen your face in ages, and its killing me. This whole distance thing fucking sucks and god damn it I miss you like crazy. I'm meeting so many amazing people and fans and its a dream come true but at the end of the day no amount of happiness I get from being here compares to the amount of happiness I get from seeing your stupid face." 

That elicits a gentle laugh from Luke, but not for long. Michael can still hear the quiet and muffled hiccups slipping from the boy. 

"Miss you too, Mikey. So much," He sniffles a little. "Can you-Can you talk to me for a little?" 

"Yeah," Michael answered immediately. "'Course, lovebug. What do you want me to talk about?" 

"Uh, w-what did you get up to today? Well, technically yesterday." 

Michael smiled upon remembering. "Had a meeting with my manager. We're looking into booking some gigs. I should be playing shows in the next couple of months," He can hear Luke gasp on the other end, and he cant help but laugh a little. "I know! I can hardly believe it actually happened. All those nights we spent joking about it... Its crazy-"

"I never joked about it." Luke mumbled suddenly, and it caught Michael off guard.

"What?"

"I never joked about you playing shows," Luke was whispering like he was telling Michael a dirty secret. "I always knew you'd make it, Mikey. You're so damn talented and I knew you'd get the credit you deserved one day." 

Michael smiled, biting at his lip as his eyes welled with tears. He loved this boy so damn much. 

The two talked for a while longer, but eventually the conversation became one sided. Michael could tell Luke was asleep by the all too familiar sound of occasional snores that slipped past the blonde's lips, so Michael figured he better get up and get ready for the day ahead of him. Just before he hung up, he mumbled one final thing:

"Only five more months, baby boy. Only five more months and I'll be home." 

-

Three and a half months later Michael was standing backstage of his first ever gig. It had taken a little longer than originally planned to book the venues and actually rehears enough for him to be comfortable and think he could actually get on stage and play his music but the wait was well worth it. He had five sold out shows ahead of him and he was ecstatic. 

A lady was securing his sound box to the waist of his skinny jeans, threading his ear pieces up his shirt before she was patting him on the shoulder and telling him good luck. He thanked her and shuffled closer to the stage so he could get a look at everyone packed into the little venue. After he'd snapped a picture on his phone for memories sake, a man wearing a pair of headphones was telling him that it was about time to go on. He watched as the lights in the venue went off, dousing it in darkness. People were gasping and screaming and Michael's hands were shaking and he might have been a little terrified but he couldn't deny that he was so in love with the feeling that was taking over his body. The man nodded at him and everything was a go. With one final deep breath he was being passed his guitar and he was running up the stairs and onto the stage, being swallowed up by the piercing screams and blinding lights and he knew immediately that right there on the stage was where he belonged. 

Michael didn't ever want it to end. With only one song left, he was rather disappointed he couldn't play more. This song was a special one, though, and he was glad he saved it for last. 

"I'm gonna slow it down a little," Michael said into his microphone, "Is that okay with you guys?"

He was answered by a stream of screams and shouts, and he couldn't help the smile on his lips. One of the workers brought a stool out for him, setting it in the middle of the stage. He swapped out his electric guitar for an acoustic one, then made his way over to the stool. He sat, placing the guitar into his lap and adjusting his microphone to meet his lips, "Now, unfortunately this will be my last song but its a rather special one. It isn't completely finished yet but I didn't want to leave it out, and I really needed you guys hear it. This goes out to a very special person I have back home. This is Close as Strangers." 

He strummed at the guitar, taking a deep breath before letting his eyes slip shut and his words fill the dead quiet venue. 

_"Six weeks since I've been away, and now you're saying everything has changed, and I'm afraid that I might be losing you..."_

-

Michael was laid out on the floor of the living room. He had no idea how he managed to get from the couch to the floor but he was here now and he couldn't be bothered moving. In all honesty, he was so much more comfortable lying on the floor than he did in the bed. Luke had told him sometime that morning that he would call later, and Michael had been waiting ever since. He had his phone balanced on his chest while he stared up at the roof, making out the markings and chipped paint. 

_Waiting._

He'd packed his bags too early. He was so excited to be leaving LA tonight and being home tomorrow that he couldn't help himself. He was sure that he'll end up forgetting something despite checking multiple times but damn it, it was a big house. It was a given really. He always managed to forget something when he was staying in a  _hotel room,_ so a house this size was bound to become home to at least one of Michael's items. 

_Waiting._

He'd gotten a text from his parents today. They were excited to see him, and they even let him know that his dog was excited for him to come home too. That made Michael smile. As well as being just as excited to see his parents, he was just glad that soon enough he'll be able to be in the comfort of his own home; surrounded by the outdated furniture and the fucking awful high school pictures of him hung on the walls. He'll get to sleep in his bed and never leave his man cave, playing video games 24/7 and eating take-out for every meal. 

It was the simplicity of home that he was excited for. 

His phone suddenly began to vibrate against his chest, and he couldn't help the excited shriek that left his lips. He scrambled to answer it, tapping the accept button and holding it to his ear, "Hi, lovebug!" 

"Hi Mikey," Luke giggled, and that single sound was music to Michael's ears. "Excited to see you tomorrow." 

"So fucking excited to see you tomorrow too, Lukey. You have no idea how much I miss you." 

"I've been singing Close as Strangers all day." Luke admitted, and it made Michael smile.

He thought about the lyrics, then began to mumble out the ending lines, _"Six months since I went away, and I know everything has changed. But tomorrow I'll be coming back to you."_

As much as he didn't want to admit it, Michael was nervous. He knew things wouldn't be exactly how he left them six months ago. He hasn't felt Luke's skin beneath his fingertips in so long and he's fucking terrified that he wont recognise it the same way he used to. He doesn't want things to be awkward between Luke and himself. He gets that it'll be hard to pick up things where they left off, but he doesn't want to have to start all over again like they're sixteen again. Before he could think about it too much, Luke's voice was making its way though the phone again. 

"Hey, uh, just thought I'd let you know that I cant make it to the airport tomorrow. I'm really sorry but my cousin needed a last minute baby sitter and I couldn't really say no. I'll come around to yours as soon as I'm finished up, though, okay?" 

Michael frowned. He was a little disappointed, but he understood. "Yeah, s'okay. I'll be waiting in my man cave, as always." 

Luke laughed, and Michael could just picture Luke rolling his eyes while shaking his head. They both went quiet before a moment before Luke was speaking up again. 

"So anyway, I've gotta tell you about this dog I saw today..." 

- 

Michael's plane had just landed, and god he was nervous. He'd sent his parents a quick text to let them know he'd landed safely, and they sent one back saying they were waiting for him by the arrivals gate. He stuffed his phone into his back pocket before he grabbed his backpack from the overhead compartment and he was making his way off the plane. 

After collecting his luggage he was following the other passengers, shuffling towards the exit of the airport. His eyes scanned the crowded area, looking out for the familiar face of his parents amongst everyone else. He came to a stop once he'd reached the middle of the crowd, still unable to spot his parents. Suddenly, someone was tapping on his shoulder. He turned, eyes landing on a pair of all too familiar bright blue ones. Luke was standing before him, a grin on his face and all Michael could do was gape at him. 

He felt as though he was seeing Luke for the first time all over again. He couldn't quite believe the blonde was standing right in front of him. After all, he had told Michael the previous night that he was busy and he wouldn't make it to the airport. Surely this was all a dream. But of course, it wasn't. Michael should have known. Luke was always full of surprises. 

"Hey, Mike." 

Michael swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and before he knew what he was doing, he was lunging himself at the blonde and burying his face into the crook of his neck. Tears were slipping from his eyes out of sheer unbelief, and Luke was letting out a watery laugh above him while hugging the shaking boy tightly against him. 

"What're you doing here?" He managed to mumble out, pulling away from Luke slightly to look up at his eyes. Luke was crying too. They were such a fucking mess of a couple and Michael loved it so much. 

"Wanted to surprise you." Was all the blonde said, shrugging gently. Michael stared at him before shaking his head, still unable to wrap his head around the situation. He smashed his lips against Luke's, catching the blonde off guard for a brief moment before Luke regained himself and Michael continued to relish in the feeling he missed so much. After he pulled away, he went back to hugging his boyfriend, breathing in the familiar scent and taking it all in. This really was happening. Luke was here, his arms around Michael's waist holding him close like he wasn't ever planning to let him go. 

Clapping suddenly erupted through the airport, and Michael pulled away to see a crowd of people surrounding them; grins on their faces and some of them even had their phones out, recording the scene in front of them. 

"Forgot you're a mega-superstar now," Luke giggled, and Michael blushed, hiding his face back in Luke's neck.  

"Love you." The blonde mumbled, nudging his nose against Michael's head. 

"Love you more." Michael whispered, the smile etched on his lips pressed into Luke's skin.  

At the end of the day, Michael didn't know what he was so scared of. Things may have changed, but not in the way he thought they would have. Luke might have grown a couple of inches and he had a beard now-a real fucking beard-but Luke's skin still felt the same as it before Michael left. He still smelt the same and he still held Michael so tightly it kind of hurt but Michael didn't mind because Luke was home, and  _god_ he was so fucking homesick.  


End file.
